Kibaale -Authorities in Kibaale District are battling early child marriages and pregnancies, which they say have significantly increased during the lockdown.
According to the district probation Officer Kibaale Edward Birungi, 1100 girls (84%) were married in the month of January and June 2020.
211 boys (14%) also got married.
Birungi noted that Nyamarunda Sub County has the highest number with 209 girls and 55 boys married followed by Nyamarwa Sub County with 154 girls and 33boys.
Matale has 144 girls and 26 boys married.
Speaking during the stakeholders meeting at the Kibaale district council today afternoon, Birungi attributed the problem to poor parenting, domestic violence and the current lockdown in the country.
Birungi also noted that 26 defilement cases have been registered from the month of January to June 2020 where 19 were referred to court and 07 are still pending investigations.
The meeting was attended by the grade one magistrate court Kibaale justice Niyokwizera Emmanuel, the resident state attorney Sabunyo Stanley, and the DPC Kibaale David Otabong among others.
They blamed the increasing early marriages and defilement cases to village chairpersons for sidelining with perpetrators.
They called for sensitization of parents in order to curb down the vice.
The deputy RDC Kibaale Carlo Kashaiza Muyambi warned Police against mismanagement of cases of defilement and early marriages.
The News Editor ,Reporter at Kagadi Kibaale community Radio
